Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay is Wellington’s most expensive stretch of real estate with the city’s ritziest apartments across the road from its inner city beach, although plenty of individual houses remain tucked away in its side streets.  It has glorious views, late afternoon sun and a (ratepayer-funded) golden beach – all within a brisk stroll of the CBD.  It’s home to several top restaurants (Martin Bosley’s Yacht Club and The White House) with the city’s best ice-cream at Kaffee Eis, and offers year-round swimming – the beach or Freyberg Pool – with plenty of opportunity to promenade.

Freyberg Pool is one of Wellington’s landmark buildings, with its glass walls (made possible because the roof’s weight is borne by the concrete end walls and girders); the sculptural design was heavily influenced leading Brazilian modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer.  It was opened in 1963 and replaced the old segregated Te Aro salt-water baths.  Lord Freyberg (Governor General 1946–1952) was educated at Wellington College, won a number of major swimming titles then commanded the NZ division during WWII in the Middle East, Italy, Greece and Africa.

The ‘Oriental’ was one of the first ships to bring British settlers to Wellington, arriving on January 31, 1840.

View across Wellington harbour from Oriental Parade